Wireless communication involves transmission of encoded information on a modulated radio frequency (RF) carrier signal. A wireless receiver includes an RF antenna that receives a wireless signal, and a demodulator that converts the RF signal to baseband. The wireless receiver may include a digital “front-end” that handles a variety of signal acquisition functions. For example, the digital front-end may perform signal detection, frame synchronization, carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation and correction, and gain control.
The gain control function involves selection of a gain for amplification of the incoming wireless signal to increase signal amplitude but avoid saturation. Signal detection involves detecting the arrival of a transmitted wireless signal. Frame synchronization involves identification of the start of a transmitted symbol within the signal. The CFO estimation and correction function estimates the carrier frequency difference between the transmitter and receiver, and compensates for the difference in the receiver.